


falling slowly

by ithinkinstories



Category: Naruto
Genre: Canon Universe, F/M, Reader Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2020-04-06 23:47:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19073155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ithinkinstories/pseuds/ithinkinstories
Summary: It was the beginning of summer when you first saw him. You were sixteen, belonged to a large civilian village in the Land of Tea, and had been minding your family’s vegetable cart in the square when he strolled up to you...Sasuke Uchiha was a man with whom you had recently discerned you had fallen in love, and wanted to be at his side constantly, but he had his own plans that you were sure did not include you.That was perfect. Whenever he came your way, you would be there with light and warmth, ready to share.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is a story I wrote awhile back, very shortly after I had written far longer than forever. It originally only had the first three parts, but I had gotten several requests on Tumblr for a fourth, so I worked to get one out that would wrap it all up. 
> 
> When I finished it, I decided I would publish it on here and my other fan fiction accounts. I will add three scenarios to it over the next little while, ones that [Name]-chan wasn't present for. 
> 
> Regretfully, I do not own anything but the plot. If I did own it, I wouldn’t be sharing Sasuke’s ass with anyone.
> 
> Enjoy!

_"As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep; slowly..."_

It was the beginning of summer when you first saw him. You were sixteen, belonged to a large civilian village in the Land of Tea, and had been minding your family’s vegetable cart in the square when he strolled up to you. 

“Hello, sir! How can I help you?” 

His eyes, one a light purple with rings, which you found strange, the other one, a deep pool of onyx clouded over- by what, you couldn’t tell-, perused the selection of tomatoes. He picked up one of the largest ones with his right hand, and you noted that you couldn’t see a left at the end of his other sleeve. He squeezed the fruit experimentally and you could tell he was satisfied by its ripeness. 

“We have the best growth fertilizer in the land,” you boasted of your family farm. “You won’t find any produce as good as ours for a hundred kilometers.” 

“That’s quite a claim,” he finally spoke, a smooth tenor that appealed to your ears. 

“Can you disprove it?” 

“I haven’t been documenting the quality of the produce I buy on my travels.” 

You pretended to be scandalised. “Well, you should! You never know when you’re settling for some sad excuse for camparis in a bustling market while a small shack on the side of the road has the best romas this side of the sea!” 

You thought you saw his lips twitch, but could have been mistaken. 

“I’ll have three of these,” he stated. You took the one he held and selected the next best two and put them in a small bag for him. He produced the necessary money, which was dictated by a sign on the front of the wooden cart. 

You held up a hand to stop him. “Hold on. Are you a shinobi, or merely a traveler?” 

“Both.” 

“Very well then, shinobi-san, I won’t accept payment for these tomatoes if you, while on your travels, take note of any particularly outstanding fruits or vegetables that you find, and find out what the secret was. If you ever make it back here, give me your notes,” you professionally declared. 

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather just take the money?” He insisted, lacking the inclination to humor you. 

“I’m sure.” You winked at him. “The secrets may be worth more.” 

He coughed, and you would wager three times the cost of everything in your cart that he was covering up a chuckle. 

“Fine.” 

You clapped your hands together and jumped, behaving as if he was going to find out the secret to the ultimate happiness for you. “Thank you!” 

Immediately, you calmed, but the glint in your eye and exuberant smile stayed in place. “So, do I have a name I can associate with you, or would you prefer to be the mysterious shinobi-san?” 

“Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha.” 

“Well, Sasuke-san, call me [Name]. Are you staying in the village for the night, or passing through even faster than that?” 

“I have to keep going.” 

You did your best to hide your disappointment and kept your smile up. “That’s a shame. It’s beautiful here on summer nights. We don’t have many great light sources, so we go by lanterns, little firefly lights on a string, and when we’re lucky, actual firefly light. You should make time for a stay in your travels, when you aren’t too busy with your shinobi business.” 

“Hn, maybe.” 

“Goodbye, Sasuke-san.” 

“Goodbye.” 

It was another year before you saw him again, midsummer, and nothing about you or the village had changed. It was so similar, you got an intense feeling of deja vu when you saw him come up. He was mostly the same as well, but his hair had grown out long enough to cover his abnormal eye. 

“Sasuke-san, is that you?” 

He may have been surprised that you remembered him, but you couldn’t tell for sure. He was so stoic. 

“Hn.” 

“That’s something you actually say? I thought you were fighting off a sneeze or something when I heard it before!” 

It must have been the astonished expression you wore and the way you made your claim in all seriousness, but you couldn’t say for sure what the tipping point was that made him _laugh_. It wasn’t a full, gut-busting chortle, or even a noticeable chuckle. It was this amused little snicker that went on for about a minute. 

“That is one I’ve never heard before.” 

You were confused, then it dawned on you, and you joined in on the infectious activity. “I guess your friends back home give you a hard time about it, huh?” 

“Something like that.” 

When you both straightened up, you made eye contact for less than a second before you looked away. “So, what’ll it be today?” 

“Tomatoes, same as last time.” 

You nodded and selected the three juiciest ones you had. He had gotten there early enough that no one else had bought any yet, so they were the best of the batch. You bagged them, and he reached for his pocket. 

“Wait. Did you bring me notes?” 

He made that adorable snicker again and dipped his hand into his shirt pocket, procuring a little piece of paper, folded in several ways. 

Your eyes sparkled with glee as you held out an eager hand. “You did!” 

You unfolded it carefully and skimmed over his surprisingly neat scrawl. Most of the tidbits were known to you, but there were a few things he had been told to mix into the fertilizer that were new to you. 

“Huh, that’s interesting, and,” you placed two more tomatoes in the bag with the other three and handed it over. “You sir, deserve two freebies. Think you can eat them all before they spoil?” 

“Yes, but are you sure it’s okay to just give these to me?” 

“Yeah, it’s no big deal. Besides, you’ve earned them, especially if these tips help things grow better.” 

You flashed him a kind smile. “So, on your way out again?” 

“No, I plan to rest here tonight.” 

You were so happy, you wanted to hug him, but you knew better than to embrace someone who you knew next to nothing about. “Oh, that’s great! You can see my favorite part of living here!” 

His gaze softened, and it warmed you from top to bottom. “Yeah, I guess so.” 

“Do you have plans for dinner?” 

“Just picking something up when I feel like it.” 

You were just overflowing with giddiness. Your mother would tease you when you got this way, calling you her ineffable effusion of effervescence. “Let us feed you! Oh, please, Sasuke-san! My parents will be excited to meet you after I show them this list.” 

It was painfully obvious that you had startled him with your- dare you call it this- begging, but you wanted him so badly to join your family… for dinner.

“All right, all right,” he finally acquiesced, much to your joy. 

“Perfect! Come back here at six this evening.” 

He nodded and walked off, thinking you couldn’t be weirder if you teamed up with Naruto. 

Six rolled around all too quickly, and you were bouncing on the balls of your feet as you awaited him. You had taken the cart home a little early so you could notify your mother of the addition to the table, and clean up, showering off the sweat and sun from the day. 

He approached, his eyes scanning right past you before darting back. You were dressed differently, your hair in a different style, and the cart was gone, so you didn’t blame him. 

“Sasuke-san, over here!” 

You moved to his side, a spring in your step, then led him to the entrance to the village. “It’s just down this road a ways.”

The two of you headed out for your family’s farm. 

“So, if it’s not confidential, where are you from, Sasuke-san?” 

“Konoha,” he replied curtly. 

“Ah, in the Land of Fire, right?” 

He simply nodded. 

“The shinobi life is exciting, but I couldn’t do it. I doubt I’ll ever be anything more than a farmgirl, but that’s not necessarily bad. I bet that you couldn’t handle something so slow after experiencing the fast paced life.” 

“You might be surprised how many shinobi that had to retire early found happiness in less chaotic lifestyles.” 

You shifted your head in his direction. “I mean you, Sasuke-san. You’ve been through a lot, but something about you just screams that you’re meant for it. You’re meant for great things.” 

He resisted a scoff, thinking if only you knew. 

“Does your family miss you while you’re gone?” 

“No.” 

You wanted to delve further into that rabbit hole, interested in knowing more, but he made it very clear that was a closed topic. 

“Friends?” 

“I keep in contact with them.” 

“I’m sure they still miss you… I mean, I would.” 

“Hm.” 

You softly sighed and let him be for the fifteen minutes it took to reach the farm. You showed him in through the front door, yelling out, “I’m back! I’ve got our guest!” 

“Oh!” Your mother came out, a plump woman that would fit in with the Akimichis. “Hello there! I’m Misami Noka!” 

She held a cordial hand out to Sasuke. “What is your name, dear?” 

“Sasuke Uchiha. Thank you for having me, Noka-san.” He hadn’t had to use them in so very long, but the manners his mother instilled in him were still there. 

“Please, call me by Misami. Come in, come in!” 

She moved out of the way, so the two of you could kick off your shoes and step further into the house. 

“Nee-chan!” You heard, getting only a second’s notice before being bowled over, right into Sasuke, by a six-year-old girl and a two-year-old boy. The tall man caught you and held you up. You glanced up at him, only slightly embarrassed. 

“Sorry. Forgot to warn you about these little monsters.” 

“Ah.” You noticed that he had refrained from using ‘hn’ around you, but he had other vague monosyllabic responses in his arsenal. 

“Nee-chan, will you play with us?” The little girl requested. 

“Sorry, Aina-chan, but I can’t right now. Maybe later,” you told her, ruffling her hair affectionately as you straightened up. 

The little boy toddled over to you and held his arms up. 

“I know what that means!” You laughed, sweeping him up into your arms. “Hello, Aki-kun!” 

He stared behind you with wide eyes. “Yes, we have a visitor!” 

You turned your head to view Sasuke, who was eyeing the toddler like he was a tiny dictator. It had only taken a few babysitting missions as a genin to teach him that all little children are to be treated like ticking timebombs. 

“Okay, it’s ready!” Your mother called, and you guided Sasuke to the kitchen where you found your fifteen and eleven year old brothers, who had been tasked with helping with dinner, and your only elder brother, who was twenty-one, sitting at the table set for nine. 

“Hi, Dai-kun, Haru-kun, and Yuu-kun.” 

“Hello, [Name]-chan,” came at three different times. 

“Who do we have here?” Your eldest brother, Yuuma, inquired. 

“Yuu-kun, this is my friend Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke-san, this is Yuuma, Haruto, and Daichi Noka,” you introduced, pointing each boy out as you said his name, eldest to youngest. 

Sasuke nodded and gave a short bow. He had never seen a family as large as yours, and frankly, it shocked him. He didn’t know that anyone could take care of that many children, let alone would desire to have them. 

As if reading his mind, you giggled, pulling his attention. “I know you probably have never needed to consider this, but on a farm, more children means more hands to keep things running. We all have a set of jobs to do every day, even this one.” 

You gently bumped Akio, who giggled as well. 

“Where’s Tou-san?” You asked no one in particular. 

“He’s just finishing up pulling some weeds so he can get started on the patch for next season. He’ll be in in a minute,” Yuuma answered, to which you nodded. 

“All right, you should either be at the sink, or in a seat!” Your mother commanded in her ‘I mean business’ voice. “Aina, get in here!” 

You hustled over to the sink to wash your hands, and help Akio do the same, then motioned for Sasuke to do the same. When you three had dried off, you put Akio in his high chair and claimed your seat, the second one in from the right on the north side, which was closest to the wall, giving him the corner seat so he could have full range of motion. Your only sister came running, did the fastest hand wash ever, then took her seat beside you, leaving one vacant before the end, where Yuuma was, followed by Haruto, Daichi, Akio, your mother, and the head of the table was left for your father. 

“Wonderful,” Misami beamed. “Sasuke-san, please start.” 

He was aware that they were all watching him, and it was going to be a little difficult to do it all one handed, but he would manage. You eyed him, just in case he needed assistance, but he impressed you with his deft performance. Even missing an arm couldn’t slow down a great ninja by much. 

“So, Sasuke-san, where are you from?” 

“Konoha, Misami-san,” he responded politely, which had your mother in silent fits of elation. You could see that she was over the moon to have such a strapping young man under her roof to provide another example to the younger boys. Yuuma was great, but his work ethic was lacking, while Sasuke just radiated the idea that he knew how to see a job through to the end. 

“I see, and then you are a shinobi?” 

“Kaa-san, where are you going with this?” You intercepted her line of questioning, deceptively chipper. She knew this from what you told her beforehand, and you had a feeling that she was not just asking for the sake of conversation.

“Nowhere, dear! So, is it true?” 

“Yes, Misami-san.” 

“I’ve been acquainted with few who have passed through the village before. It’s very respectable, but don’t you think it’s too dangerous for someone your age? You could be thinking about starting a family in a few short years, like my [Name]!”

The timing for a drink of water couldn’t have been worse. To your horror, you began choking on the liquid as Aina pounded on your back. Your face was as red as the tomatoes you had given to Sasuke, but you blamed that on your little coughing episode. 

“Kaa-san!” You snapped when your airway was clear. “This is hardly appropriate!” 

“Which is why she’s trying to get it out of the way before Tou-san gets here,” Haruto cackled. 

“Why, I am doing no such thing! I am simply pointing out that along with Yuuma, these two are in the prime of their youth-”

Sasuke was assaulted with images of green spandex and bowl haircuts, and had to put a concentrated effort into suppressing a shudder. 

“-and should be considering that it might be a good idea to consider starting families while they’re still spry, and then that’s out of the way and they can go back to work on the farm or as a shinobi with plenty of energy! How old are you anyway, Sasuke-san?” 

“Eighteen.” It was evident in his voice that he was done with the topic and anything that might lead back to it. 

“Oh! You’re the same age as [Name]! She’ll be eighteen by the end of the summer!” 

“Kaa-san, with all due respect, stop,” you spoke solemnly, an about face from your normal demeanor. “You are making our guest and I very uncomfortable.” 

She sniffled, bringing out the theatrics. “You don’t care for your mother, do you? I’m just trying to be helpful when a handsome young man comes into our home-” 

A more perfect moment for your father to enter did not exist. The back door swung open, admitting the tall, beefy man. 

“Evening family,” he greeted as usual, smelling of the plowed field behind the house. 

“Hello, Tou-san,” five voices chorused. His eyes fell on the man next to you, and you knew Sasuke didn’t want to introduce himself, but you were a little worried. Takeshi Noka had certain beliefs about men, and one of them was that a man should take the initiative to make himself known. If you introduced Sasuke, jokes about the “prissy boy” would be going around the house as long as you lived in it. 

“Who do we have here?” 

“Tou-san, I told you I was bringing a guest to dinne-” You started. 

“Let him speak for himself.” 

Darn it. 

You eyed Sasuke in your peripheral vision and picked at your food with your chopsticks. The outsider lifted his head and met your father’s stare head on, then got to his feet. A great move. 

“Sasuke Uchiha, from Konoha, Noka-san.” He held out his hand for your father to shake. 

Now came the all important grip test. Being an evident war veteran, Sasuke should pass the test with flying colors, you hoped. 

This all was the standard every man that came into your home had to meet. God help any prospective boyfriends you and Aina would bring home. The plans that your father had that involved them were a mystery even to you, and you had your dad wrapped around your little finger. 

Takeshi shook and, with a rolling thunder from his chest, nodded. “Welcome.” 

“Thank you, sir.” 

The piercing eyes you knew so well did not miss Sasuke’s apparent missing limb, and you prayed that nothing would be said. As an added measure, your eyes scanned everyone else, and glared at anyone that you could tell noticed. It would not be brought up as long as you could help it. 

When he was done giving Sasuke the staredown, your father looked to your mother and raised an eyebrow. 

“What have you been up to?” 

“Nothing!” She chirped, trying to hide the evidence of her well controlled tears. 

From her to Sasuke, to you, and back to your mother, his eyes traveled. When they had made the round, he just sighed and shook his head. 

“Misami, leave the children alone.” 

“But they aren’t chil-” 

“Misami,” he growled, causing her to pout. 

“Am I the only one who cares about our oldest daughter’s future?” 

“YES!” Everyone but Sasuke over the age of ten shouted. 

You glanced at the man who had reclaimed his seat at your side. His face was impassive, and you were cursing yourself into an early grave for giving the thought to invite him to dinner any substance. 

It was an hour later, amidst requests for Sasuke to share stories of his travels from Daichi and Aina, and demands from the same pair that you take them with you to escort Sasuke back to the village, that you were able to get out the door. 

“Dear God, that was the worst idea I’ve had in a long time!” You declared, harried, once you were a good twenty meters away. You stretched your arms out behind you and spun around, so you were walking backwards. “I’m really sorry. I forgot just how nuts my family is, especially when we have guests. I had just thought that you probably hadn’t had a home cooked meal in awhile, since we’re so far from your home and-” 

“Thank you.” 

His words made you freeze and subsequently stumble. Naturally, you fell, and naturally, he went to stop you, however your moment of clumsiness was strong enough to bring even him down with you. You crashed to the ground in a jumbled mess. He made a last ditch effort to pull you on top of him so he’d bear the brunt of it, resulting in your bottom half at his side, and your top half on his chest. 

“Ow,” you mumbled as the pebbles and rocks dug into you through the fabric of your clothes. “Sasuke-san, are you okay?” 

“Ah.” 

“Noted.” You got up, then offered him a hand. He didn’t accept it, which was the best idea. As strong as life as a farmgirl made you, he was tall enough that his height would have you toppling over again. You brushed yourself off as much as you could, expelling dust and gravel. “Sorry about that, but hey, I think I just fell for you.” 

You occasionally laughed at your own jokes, but this one wasn’t that good. Still, it brought a broad smile to your face. 

“Ah.” 

You sighed and rolled your eyes. “Right. I can appreciate reticence in a world rich with verbosity.” 

“You have an interesting vocabulary for someone who works on a farm.” 

“I may be a farmgirl, but I’m not simple. I read. A lot.” 

He was mildly impressed, but gave no indication. The two of you continued on, reaching the village gates in the same time it had taken you to get to your house. 

“Well, I guess this is goodnight,” you said once you were inside. “Unless you’d like to stay out here with me and see the lights?” 

He wasn’t sure how he felt about your invitation. He didn’t think you were coming onto him just with that offer, but that coupled with the dinner might mean that you were. Why was he thinking about this again? Why did he care? You knew that he couldn’t stay, and if you got your hopes up, it was your own fault… He didn’t get that vibe from you, though. You were just being kind. 

“Fine.” 

“You really don’t have to. You can say no.” In spite of your words, your smile grew to show teeth. “It’s going to be another hour before the sunset, and another one after that before any fireflies come out.” 

“Hm. I said I’ll stay out with you.” 

It was hard to contain yourself. You were just so happy that you could share something so precious to you with someone. 

Or was it because it was him?

The thought flitted across your mind, and you wanted to beat it back out. No frick fracking way. It was just the thrill of a new friend. 

You beckoned him to follow you, and showed him your favorite places, as well as the best spots for things in the village, like the blacksmith, who could sharpen his weapons, and a little area with a stream where he could train if he got the itch. 

He didn’t seem to lose interest, which you had been afraid might happen. You dared hope that he was even enjoying himself with you. 

You had carefully pried him open a bit throughout your escapade, and he had found you deserving of some details of his life. He told you of Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi. You listened with all the eagerness he had seen from your younger siblings, but more contained, drinking up every tidbit he deemed you worthy to receive as if it were gold. He talked about Karin, Jugo, and Suigetsu, leaving out the nastier details of his time with them, and leaving Orochimaru out of the picture all together. 

When you had told him a story about you and Yuuma back when you would have been the age to start at the academy, he had shared a treasured memory of Itachi. It was just so easy to unload on you, a stranger who didn’t know his crimes, and therefore couldn’t judge him for skipping over the ugly dregs of his short life. You didn’t know that they were there to skip over. 

You just accepted whatever he had to say, grateful that he said it. Like a young Sakura, but less pushy. Much less pushy. 

All too soon, the sky had dimmed enough for the lights to come on. They were as warm and inviting as you had promised. 

He found himself staring at your form, just bursting at the seams with sunshine and rainbows, and a mess of other good things. You reminded him of Naruto, but with a key difference. You were pure. Untainted by the bloodthirsty shadows with which he had entangled himself. 

How would he describe it? ...Refreshing seemed to be the word he was looking for. 

“Sasuke-san, look!” You whispered, pointing ahead. Floating right in front of you half a meter away was a handful of the little bugs that brought you such unmitigated joy. One floated over to examine you, even landing on your nose. Tensing up, you didn’t move, crossing your eyes to stare at it until it decided to go on its way. 

“That was incredible! I’ve never seen one so up close before!” 

You made him smile, just a little. Maybe, one day, he could figure out a way to bottle up some of your essence and take it with him.


	2. Chapter 2

One summer later, right smack in the middle of the season, he returned once again, and you had changed. Physically, anyway. 

“Sasuke-san!” You stepped away from your cart to run up to him. “How are you? It’s great to see you again!” 

“Ah.” 

“A man of few words, as ever, eh?” You laughed, then brought a hand out from behind you holding the biggest, juiciest, reddest tomato he had ever laid eyes on. “This is for you. I grew a few plants out of a planter in my window, and while they all turned out great, I think this beauty knew you were coming! She was nice and ready, just this morning.” 

He almost felt the need to step back, though you hadn’t invaded his personal space, and actually stood a polite distance away. You were just exuding so much energy, it was practically tangible. 

“What do you like them for, anyway? I’ve never asked. Do you just eat them as they are, or do you have a special dish you prefer them in?” 

“Omusubi.” 

“That… I could have guessed that, honestly. It’s so you.” 

He raised his visible eyebrow, requesting elaboration. 

“Simple and poignant, I guess. No frills necessary, and a decent source of nutrients. It’s a just what you need kind of food, and I get the feeling that you can be a just what you need kind of guy.” 

It was the first time he had been compared to food, and while he found it unfathomable, it endeared him to you a little more. 

“Ah.” 

You gently took his hand and placed the source of your pride in it, then let go. “How long are you here for this time?” 

“Just tonight, but I’ll likely be back for a few days in a few weeks.” 

“That’s different. You’ve never circled back around in the same year.” 

“Hm.” 

“I guess we’re just lu- Ah!” You screamed as you were swept off your feet and carried off a distance by an ocean blue haired man. “Takanori Shimida, you put me down right now!” 

You hit his shoulder for emphasis. 

He laughed at you and did as you demanded. You stormed back over to Sasuke. “Sorry, Sasuke-san.” 

You glared pointedly at the man who had been begging for your affection for months. He just smiled and waved.

“Hm.” 

“Between you and me, he’s the village idiot, but everyone thinks he’s the golden boy. Never picked up a book in his life, looks are everything… God only knows why he keeps harassing me. It just started up recently, too.” 

Sasuke set his eyes anywhere but on your body. From a completely factual standpoint, he had no problem understanding why the annoyance kept up. 

“Sasuke-san, are you okay?” 

“Fine.” 

“You must be getting too much sun. Go rest in the hotel… If you don’t want to come out before I head home for the day, would you,” you hesitated, wondering if you should extend the invitation again this year, then mentally shook yourself out. There was no harm in putting it out there. You had no trouble doing this the previous year, and as far as you were concerned, nothing had changed. “Would you like to accompany me this evening to see the lights? I haven’t seen the fireflies yet, and I’m wondering if you are good luck.” 

He considered your offer, recalling the previous year. It was a very pleasant memory, he wouldn’t pretend otherwise. 

“Yes.” 

Accustomed to monosyllabic responses as you had come to be, this one floored you, though you told yourself that it shouldn’t. Still, your brightest smile took center stage. “Great! Okay, I’ll see you tonight, right here, at eight?” 

“Eight,” he confirmed, a half smile of his own coming out to play. You stifled the urge to do something. You didn’t know what, but you were sure it was something he wouldn’t appreciate.

“Okay, see you tonight, Sasuke-san!” You jetted back to the cart, and didn’t still even once you reached it. You were too busy bouncing like a rabbit from side to side, garnering stares from passersby. 

Your plans were not just between the two of you unfortunately. You had been overheard by one atrocious green-eyed monster…

That night, you apprehensively re-entered the village. You had gotten over your initial nerves when you first asked him, but they came back when your mother shoved you in a black silk dress with red flowers adorning it. You didn’t want Sasuke to think you were making more out of this than time that two consenting adults agreed to spend together, with no romantic intentions. If only you could have brought more casual clothes that you could change into somewhere. You had a little money with you, maybe you could hurry and buy some-

You could feel eyes on you, and you searched them out to find him. It was evident on his face that your nicer wear caught him off guard.

_Buddha, Jashin, whoever is listening, please don't let him assume I'm after anything more!_

You very carefully made your way to him, striving to keep yourself covered at all times. The dress didn’t quite reach your knees, and yet another thing that could go wrong would be a wardrobe malfunction. You tried to drill this into your mother, but she refused to see that you didn’t modestly fit in the dress. 

“Good evening,” you muttered, then repeated a bit louder, making sure he could hear you. 

“Hm.” 

“Um… Would you like to walk around? I can’t do everything we did last year, unfortunately. My mother has ensured that,” you remarked, slightly bitter. 

“Ah.” 

“Okay.” 

The two of you went on around the square. Every little gust of wind or every few steps had you afraid you would bare your unmentionables to everyone. After only twenty minutes, you couldn’t take it any longer. 

“Please wait here, Sasuke-san,” you requested and with a fury that was as clear as your happiness in normal circumstances, stomped your way over to a boutique where you purchased an outfit you could easily move around in- a red floral yukata, navy blue hakama, and red obi-, changed, then returned to him, your usual smile where it belonged. 

“Much better!” 

He chuckled, which you had learned meant that he was amused, and tried to keep it covert. It was under his breath, and you didn’t have to be very far away to be unable to catch it. 

You grinned up at him, the differences in your height rather drastic, then continued on. On accident, your left hand brushed against his right, and you retracted yours. He didn’t seem to be the touchy type. 

Unlike the last time, the pair of you ambled along in companionable silence, and it was okay. You could have filled it easily, but chose not to, deciding to see if you could understand him a bit better through not talking…

“Ah! Oh, this must be proof! You are my lucky charm now!” You spoke in hushed tone when the famous living lights appeared. You turned your head to him and saw him staring. His expression was neutral, but his visible eye… it shone. 

It all came crashing into you at the pace of a high speed bus. You wanted him to always have that unmasked simple pleasure showing, and you would sell your soul to make it happen. It was so much clearer than the first time you had seen him browsing the contents of your cart two years prior. What had changed? Whatever it was, you hope it never changed again.

You were so caught up in your thoughts, you didn’t process that Sasuke had faced you. He saw the sparkling, unbridled life that your eyes held, but now that he was so close, he picked up on something else that was there… Maybe if he leaned a little closer, he’d be able to tell…

“Get away from [Name], outsider!” A deep voice snarled, ripping the two of you out of your respective trances. 

“Shimida-san!” You barked, knowing he’d hate that you were bumping him back to the formal address. “What are you doing?” 

The literal and figurative green-eyed man grabbed you by the wrist and pulled you to him, encasing you in his arms. “Shimida-san!”

“Let her go,” Sasuke coolly ordered. “She doesn’t want you, get that through your head.” 

“What are you going to do? Fight me? Sure, I’ll admit that you will win, _shinobi-san_ , but that’ll get you kicked out of this village faster than you can perform one of your little jutsu.” 

Sasuke glared, and his onyx eye reddened, causing the gathering crowd to collectively gasp. 

“What are you all freaking out about?” You called them out. “You’re just going to let this brute hold me against my will, and condemn someone who wants to help just because he’s an outsider?” 

“Takanori, let her go!” 

The man who held you captive growled ferociously. 

“Why are you all so afraid of him?” You cried when no one made any motion to help you. “He’s just one man!” 

Sasuke unsheathed his katana, tired of standing still. “I’ll say it one more time, let her go.”

“You lay a hand on me, and I’ll make sure you are never allowed in this village again.” 

“Fine by me. Now am I going to have to remove your hands myself? It will be far less pleasant if you leave it to me. You won’t have hands to remove the next time you get a bright idea. It’ll take less than a second.”

As your eyes settled on Sasuke once again, you saw the fearsome shinobi that had been the downfall of so many. At least you couldn’t see the insanity that had once possessed him. If you had, there was no way you would ever see him the same way again. For now, he was your savior, but you didn’t want him to be troubled further. 

“Sasuke-san, please, just go,” you sadly urged him, then hissed at your captor. “Let him stay for the night, and I’ll go with you.” 

“Fine, but he has to go back to his room, and not set foot outside for the rest of the night.” 

“Sasuke-san,” you begged. “Please. It’ll be easier on everyone.” 

His sharingan deactivated and you assumed that you were deluded enough in your worry to see hurt actually flash through his eye. No way. He didn’t care that much. He’d never given so much as an implication that you were more than the girl who gave him tomatoes.

“Fine. I’ll be out of here tomorrow morning.” 

He sheathed his sword and turned heel, taking long, strong strides away from the conflict. It felt as if each step he took was a kick to your stomach. 

You sank to your knees, defeated, until the bastard released you. 

“There,” he cooed sweetly, resting a hand on your shoulder. “I know he’s a mystery and you find that oh so interesting, but he’s bad news, and you’re better off without him here. We all are.” 

At a speed that would please Sasuke, you got up and asserted yourself at your full height, hit him with a low blow that had every man in the immediate vicinity cringing, then proudly exited through the gates to walk home. 

Your mother was livid when she saw that you weren’t wearing the dress, or even carrying it, but the steely look in your eyes shut her up. You went to your room and lit a lamp, reading for the rest of the night by its nearly too weak to see light, unable to sleep. 

It felt ironically symbolic. You had been a hand lantern, providing light and warmth to whoever drew close enough, but you hadn’t felt that you had much of a reach. It had been fine with you, because you were self aware, and kept yourself in balance. Then he appeared, and your wattage went up a bit, making you brighter, and your influence wider. You gained a spark. Then the next year, after spending more time with him and getting to know him, you evolved to a street lantern, bright enough to illuminate a few meters in all directions. Then there was that morning when you saw him pass through the gates. You believed you had attained the luminosity of the grandest lighthouse. 

What spurred you on, you weren’t sure. You wouldn’t cheapen the phrase by just throwing out “true love,” that was a cop out, and you weren’t sure that was true. You did believe that you had feelings for Sasuke, but those belonging to a kindred spirit. It was a burning, warm, constant flame, not some whirlwind passion. You had discovered that when you recalled that pure emotion in his eye. You would give him every last bit of your light to keep that emotion there.

But it didn’t matter. In the morning, he’d leave, and most likely never come back. 

Circadian rhythm told you when it was approaching dawn, the time when you would typically arise, and so you did your usual morning routine, but paused when you saw the tomato plants in your window sill…

He slipped out of the village soundlessly before the light of dawn could start to color the sky. He didn’t want to take the chance of encountering any of those cowardly people, or the idiot that made Naruto seem like a genius. He didn’t care about any of them. 

He could see the outline of the farmhouse in the dark, and he briefly considered sneaking in to say goodbye to you, but he couldn’t. It was better to just vanish. 

You’d thought the same way, and were waiting for him on the path, a small box in your hands. He’d been in this situation before, he noted, but he was already past the gate. 

“Sasuke-san,” you spoke softly. “I don’t mean to hold you up, I just wanted to give you this one last thing, and wish you luck on your journey.” 

You held out the box, and he took it, lifting the lid to reveal omusubi with tomato…

You smiled at him, but for the first time, it was forced. “Goodbye.” 

He stared at you. It was all he could do for the moment. Maybe he was selfish, but he wished to see that iridescent smile one last time. 

“Hm.” 

With one step, he regained his momentum, and didn’t stop again until you couldn’t see him any longer. You went back inside, planning to tell your family that unless it was a dire need, you were never setting foot in the village again. Yuuma could sell tomatoes.

***

You couldn’t believe it. You absolutely could not believe what was unfolding before your eyes. 

It was a week after Sasuke had left, and Takanori had the gall to come around the farm under a concerned guise because you had stood your ground about not going back to the village and insisted on helping out around the house. He charmed your mother with one smile, no surprise. Any man with a chiseled face was in her good books. 

What worried you was when all of your siblings, even little Aki-kun, were taken with him when he told them stories about trips he had taken. Yuuma hadn’t bought into it all as quickly, but Takanori had been working at him when he went to sell during the day for the last week, and when he bested him in arm wrestling, your big brother was sold. 

The worst part was when your father, who had always had a good head on his shoulders, clapped the blue haired man after your affections on the shoulder. 

In the course of a single evening, Takanori Shimida had somehow won over your entire family, and you were mortified, more than when Sasuke had been in your home. 

It wasn’t enough that he was a malevolent jerk, he had to be a supremely charismatic one.

“I’ve always wondered what farming life would be like, and I think it’s admirable,” Takanori said to your father- who had extended the invitation himself- over dinner, using what you were sure was the largest word in his vocabulary. 

Your father preened. “It’s a man’s work, that’s for sure. It will always be needed, and not too dangerous. Builds character to boot. Perfect for raising a family.” 

“It’s funny you should say that, because I’ve been thinking about settling down, but I don’t think I can keep up my career of odd jobs if I do. It’s not enough to provide for a woman, and definitely not enough for children. I don’t know if I could start a farm on my own, though. I’ll have to build my own house out here, then wait until next spring to start planting, I figure.” 

It was a living nightmare when you heard your father speak. 

“Well now, if you’re serious about it, I suppose we could help you get going.” 

After he left that night- following a kiss on your hand, no less!-, he was all they could talk about. They wanted him as part of the family, and they wanted you to marry him. 

It was bad enough that they wanted you to marry a man who clearly had no respect for you, the more everyone discussed your future for you, the less okay with it you discovered you were. Being a farmgirl for the rest of your life didn’t sound right, but you didn’t know what to do.

Over the next few weeks, despite your most earnest hopes, it actually started to happen. Takanori selected a plot of land nearby, and with some help from some “friends”- you weren’t sure that they were any more than people he intimidated into doing his bidding- began construction. 

“[Name],” your father addressed you one day while the two of you harvested corn. 

“Yes, Tou-san?” 

“Shimida-kun came over a little while ago, while you were out here.” 

“I know.” 

“He asked something of me concerning you.” 

Your eyes widened and you tensed up completely. “H-he did?” 

“Yes. He asked me for your hand.” 

You spun on your heel to face him, horror stricken. “What did you say? Please, tell me you didn’t say yes. Anything but that!” 

“Now, [Name], he’s a good man, and he’ll make sure that you don’t go hungry-” 

“He doesn’t care about me! He and I don’t have a thing in common!” You cried. “He just wants me because he finds me attractive!” 

“Well-” 

“No! Did you tell him yes?” 

“...I did. He is coming by tomorrow when he will announce it to the family. Don’t embarrass me by refusing him.” 

You dropped your basket, not caring that the sheaves fell out. “I’m not going through with this!” 

The scariest glare he had formed on his face. “You are. Try to see reason. I know why you’re behaving this way. It’s because of that shinobi, but I heard about what he did. He’s not right for you, and he’s dangerous.” 

“This isn’t about Sasuke-san,” you growled, matching your glare with his for the first time in your life. He was startled. You weren’t his bubbly little girl right now. 

“[Name] Noka, you will listen to me!” 

Without another word, you ran back to the house, into your room, slamming the door shut. 

It was final. If you stayed, your light would go out completely.


	3. Chapter 3

_Tou-san and Kaa-san,_

_I’m sorry, but I can no longer be your obedient daughter._

_I was always happy growing up on this farm, but in recent years, I’ve begun to question if I will be happy for the rest of my life on one. You may blame Sasuke-san for this, but he had little to do with it. He was just here, and someone that I came to care for._

_That is not the reason I am leaving you._

_You all love Takanori so much, but you do not see him as I have. He’s a shallow, manipulative man, who has some hold over the village. I will not be his bride, no matter what you say. Tell him from me that he’ll have to find another trophy wife._

_One day in the next few years, I will return to see you, and I may have decided whether or not I want to be a farmer. If you’ll have me, I may stay until I find a husband._

_For now, I leave on a journey of self-discovery, to get some experience, and to get away from what you’re trying to force me into._

_I love you and know you only want the best for me, but let me figure that out for myself._

_Tell Yuu-kun, Haru-kun, Dai-kun, Aina-chan, and Aki-kun that I love them all dearly, and will be back._

_Goodbye for now,  
[Name]_

You slid the note under the door to your parents room, then turned around. You passed the few rooms that your siblings occupied on your way out. You had to strongly resist going to tell them goodbye yourself, but then you’d never go. 

Once you made it outside, into the warm night air, you felt much better, despite the pain in your heart. You had to do it, or risk losing yourself in what they wanted for you.

Shooting a withering glare at the skeleton of your suitor’s house, you made your way down the road.

You didn’t like to admit it, but you did not think things through very well. You would have left no matter what, but you should have made a plan for survival. You needed to get a tent or at least a sleeping bag, and food that didn’t perish quickly. 

The nearest village was almost two days away, and you rolled in in the afternoon, tired, but not entirely exhausted, which was good. You needed energy if you were going to find a way to earn money. 

You found your calling when you found a poor vendor that had a weak voice. She was selling handcrafted necklaces and rings. You offered to help get her little stand noticed, and she offered you room and board with her as long as you were there. 

“Hello, sir! Who is this wonderful lady with you?” You boisterously questioned a man that passed by with a woman who you guessed was the same age. 

He was taken aback by your enthusiasm. “She’s my twin sister…” 

“Oh! How did I not see the resemblance?” You laughed. “You both have very kind faces with the same discerning eyes.” 

“Thank you,” the woman said with a smile. 

“You know what would be perfect for the two of you? My friend Kamiko-san’s rings! They are simple, so either men or women can wear them. You can get a matching set. You’ve always been together, right?” At their nods, you continued. “Well, you can now have something to signify your bond and remind you that you’ll always have each other.” 

That was the tenth sale you’d gotten her that day. She was heartbroken for more than one reason when you said you had to keep going after a couple of days. 

For the next five weeks, you put the God given gift of your sparkling personality to use in order to earn boarding, money, food for the road, and various other things. It was most effective in sales, but people had gotten you to do a bunch of tasks that many of them said were enhanced because of your natural glow. 

You were in a village just inside the border of the Land of Earth, handing out flyers for a new restaurant when you found him- or rather he found you. 

“How are their tomatoes?” 

“Excellent, they have a sou-” you began to pitch, turning to face the inquirer, and almost had a heart attack. “Sasuke-san?” 

The dark haired man was looking back at you, a small amused smile on his lips. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Ah, um, well,” you stammered, like you had the last time you had encountered him, and rubbed the back of your head, like a blonde he knew. “I’ve got to make money somehow.” 

“Why are you here?” 

You let out a sad sigh. “I couldn’t stay home. Takanori came by not long after you left, and my family just adored him. My father all but wrapped me up and gave me to him when he asked if he could marry me. So, I left.” 

He was surprised. Your father hadn’t struck him as a stupid man, so either he was dumber than Sasuke thought, or this loser was craftier- he didn’t dare say smarter. 

“Ah.” 

“Anyway, how are you?” 

“Fine.” 

You playfully rolled your eyes. “There’s that reticence everyone must love. How long are you here for?” 

“Just passing through.” 

“I see. I’m not sure how long I’m here for. I kind of just do what I feel like, if I have enough to move on.” 

“Ah.” 

She handed him the last flyer she had in her hand with a smirk. “Great, now I can go collect my payment.” 

As she dashed inside, he couldn’t help but chuckle. 

He was anything but surprised when she caught him on his way out. 

“Mind if I join you for now? I’m just going where the wind blows me, and company would be nice.”

“Hm.” 

“I’m taking that as a yes.” 

You left, not intending to follow him for very long, ignoring the thumping in your chest. You traveled to the next village together, and then the next, and the next. 

Soon, you’d been with him for a month, and while you’d learned quite a bit from him about getting by on your own when there wasn’t civilization close by, you hadn’t learned much about him, but that was fine. He didn’t talk much, and he almost never talked about himself. You figured what he had confided in you the previous year was enough for quite awhile. Still, you gathered bits and pieces here and there.

You didn’t talk about yourself much either, just because you didn’t feel the need to. You didn’t hold back on being you, however, you did worry...

“Sasuke-san,” you said softly one day as you kept pace with him. 

“Hm.” 

“I’m not a burden, or an annoyance, am I?” 

The words had honestly never crossed his mind. You were peppy, talkative, and just all around outgoing, but he couldn’t say that you were burdensome or annoying.

“I’d tell you if you were.” 

That was plenty for you, and you accepted it all too willingly. 

“All right!” 

One night, the two of you set up camp in a forest. 

“I’m going back to Konoha,” he stated as you sat by the fire he had made using his jutsu, which amazed you. 

Your heart sank. “Oh. I see. How long until you make it there?” 

“Two days.” 

You forced your smile as you had when you’d given him the omusubi what felt like a lifetime ago, and kept your eyes on the burning wood. “Then I guess I will part ways with you in the morning.”

He knew you’d do that. He just knew. 

“It’s the nearest village, just come with me to get supplies.” 

The fake smile fell, then became a real one shot right at him. You hadn’t learned much about him, but you had learned that he was a caring person, deep down, who didn’t know how to act like it. What he said was practical, but you knew he wouldn’t have said it if he didn’t feel something for you. 

It wasn’t romantic, like a lot of girls might desire, and that was perfect. 

“Sasuke?” You whispered once the flames had been doused and the two of you were heading to sleep.

“Hm.” 

“Thank you. Thank you so much for everything.” 

“Hm… You too.” 

He didn’t seem to mind the dropped suffix, you thought contentedly, and he returned gratitude, for what, you weren’t sure. 

Sasuke Uchiha was a man with whom you had recently discerned you had fallen in love, and wanted to be at his side constantly, but he had his own plans that you were sure did not include you. 

That was also perfect. Whenever he came your way, you would be there with light and warmth, ready to share.

It was this understanding and acceptance that allowed tranquility to grace your features as you drifted off. 

When Sasuke and you made it to Konoha two days later, half the village lost their heads over the fact that he had brought a girl home.


	4. Chapter 4

Konoha was so different from your backwater village, you couldn’t stop marvelling at it. 

“You’re so lucky to have grown up in such a beautiful place!” You told Sasuke after he had shown you around, following your introduction to the Hokage (“You were taught by someone that powerful?!”), and finding somewhere to stay. 

“This is incredible!” You gasped when he took you up above the monument to get a better view.

You were so bubbly, it was like you were full of carbonated soda.

Sasuke didn’t say much- or anything- other than, “this way,” or “come on.” 

“Oh, my gosh. I would love to live here,” you sighed when the tour was over. “But it’s probably too dangerous for me.” 

“We’re in a peaceful era,” he commented.

“Yeah, but that can always change really quickly, can’t it? Not that I want to be pessimistic.” 

“Hm. That’s thinking realistically. People are always on the verge of war, and they’ll use any means to justify it.”

Something in his eyes told you that this subject was touchy for him, so you decided to steer the conversation in a new direction. 

“Sasuke! You’re back!” 

You turned at the raspy voice that called out to your companion and saw another man charging your way. You were about to jump out of the way, but Sasuke pulled you against him protectively, shielding you with his much taller frame.

“Teme! Why didn’t you tell me you were back? I had to hear it from Kakashi-sensei!” 

When he had stopped in front of the two of you, you got a good look at him. Blonde hair that rivaled the sunlight, blue eyes that sparkled like the sea on the calmest day, and a grin that could outshine any man made light. 

_He’s got this stupid smile… He always runs around like there’s a fire under his feet._

Sasuke had told you about him the prior summer. He was…

“Dobe, I was getting to it. I was just showing [Name] around.” 

“[Name]?” He blinked and his eyes found you. “Oh! Hey! I didn’t see you there!” 

“Naruto!” You exclaimed, startling the man. 

He glanced to Sasuke, then back at you. 

“Sorry,” you giggled, covering your mouth with a hand. “I just remembered that Sasuke mentioned you last summer when he passed through my village!” 

“Oh, really?” He smirked, eyeing his friend. “You talked about me with a girl, teme?” 

“Shut up. She asked me about what life was like here, so I told her about team seven.” 

“Aw, did Sasuke get all sentimental?” He joked.

You continued to laugh and shook your head. 

“No, but it was fun to hear his stories! He said that your face was nearly scratched clean off by a cat once?” 

He rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile. 

“Yeah, I’m not much of a cat person.” 

“Shame. I love cats!” 

“Well, anyway, I’m meeting Sakura at Ichiraku Ramen for lunch! You two should come!” 

You were excited for the opportunity to meet someone else from Sasuke’s life, and possibly make friends with more shinobi. Especially a girl. 

Your eyes went to Sasuke. “What do you say? It would be nice to meet up with your old teammates, right? Oh, but you probably don’t want me to intrude, huh? I’ll just go to that barbeque place-” 

“Let’s go.” 

It was nothing new for him to cut you off when you started to ramble. You even found it a little endearing at times, like then. 

“All right!” Naruto rejoiced and began leading the way. “Let’s go!” 

Your heart pounded in anticipation. How great would it be to meet a female ninja? You had a lot of questions you wanted to ask, and hoped to get a few answers. 

When you arrived, Naruto made you and Sasuke wait outside so he could properly present you and surprise Sakura. 

“Sakura-chan!” You heard him shout when he passed under the flaps that decorated the entrance to the shop. “So, I decided to invite some friends!”

“Naruto, God help me if I have to spend an hour listening to Shikamaru complain about working with Kakashi, or watch Ino try to flirt with Sai, while he reads yet another book that gives him some stupid idea that will offend everyone around him,” a light voice responded. 

“No, it’s not them! Come on in!” 

You put on a friendly smile and glanced at Sasuke. 

“After you.” 

He rolled his eyes and went in first. 

“Sasuke-kun?!” 

You giggled and slipped in behind him, remaining out of view. 

“When did you get back?” She asked.

“About an hour ago.” 

“What have you been up to? Did you see Kakashi-sensei?” 

“Yes.”

“That’s good… So, maybe after this you and I could-” 

“Hey, where’d [Name] go?” Naruto interrupted. 

You tensed up, feeling bad that he cut her off because of you, but stepped out from behind Sasuke. 

“Right here.” You looked to the woman with a smile. “Hello, it’s great to meet Sasuke’s other teammate. You’re Sakura, right? I’ve met the whole team now.”

She was stunned to see you there, standing so close to her crush. 

“Who are you?” 

“I’m [Name] Noka. I’m a friend of Sasuke’s. I’ve been traveling with him for the last month or two, and he invited me to stop here to restock my supplies before I move on.” 

“I see.” 

In her eyes, you could see masked hostility. Still, she feigned a polite smile. 

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Sakura Haruno.” 

"Likewise, Sakura-san! It's great to finally meet you. Sasuke has told me about you, and I've been dying to meet both of you since he told me we were coming here." 

“I see. Just what has he said in the last month or two?” Her eyes glinted, and only Naruto truly knew what it meant. 

Sakura was not happy. 

“Oh, he didn’t tell me anything while we’ve be traveling. It was last summer, when he passed through my village for the second time,” you informed her, oblivious to the murderous intent that was starting to come off her. 

“So you’ve known each other for over a year now?” 

“Over two. We first met two summers ago, but we didn’t spend any time together until last year. He came to dinner with my family, and then I showed him around the village before we saw the fireflies after dark. I think he’s my lucky charm, because when he was around, they came really close. One even landed on my nose!” 

Your smile widened at the memory, and your eyes glanced at Sasuke. 

“It was a lot of fun, and he told me enough to get me excited at the idea of ever meeting the two of you and your sensei!” 

Every trained shinobi within a twenty meter radius could sense Sakura’s intent to harm you. Her envy alone was thick enough to choke someone. 

“Well, isn’t that great!” Naruto intervened, getting between you and the rosette. “Now you have met us all! Um, I’m suddenly not that hungry. How about I show you our old team training grounds, [Name]?” 

You looked at him in confusion. 

“Sure, but can I get something to eat first? I’m starving.” 

He tried not to panic, looking to Sasuke for help. The raven haired man didn’t seem to care at all about the ruckus his former female teammate seemed likely to cause. 

“Okay…” 

Much to his relief, the four of you managed to eat and get out of the stand without any chaos breaking out. 

“That was so good, Naruto-san! Thanks for introducing me to that place! I’ll have to make this place a common rest stop while I’m out traveling, just for the food!” 

He laughed openly, such a contrast to that which you were accustomed while in Sasuke’s presence. He was leading the way to the training grounds, as he had suggested before, hands clasped behind his head, and walking backwards. 

“No problem! Ichiraku’s is the best, believe it! When I’m Hokage, I’m going to get it upgraded to a real big restaurant and make a holiday for ramen!” 

You burst out laughing, thinking he was joking. 

“He’s not kidding,” Sasuke said, walking on your left side. Sakura was on his left. “He really will do it.” 

You laughed even harder. “That’s great!” 

“You would say that.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You faked offense. 

“Hm. Figure it out.” 

You didn’t miss the little upward curve of his lips. Unfortunately, neither did Sakura. 

“Hey, teme! Let’s have at it, for old times’ sake!” Naruto challenged when you all reached your destination. 

“Are you sure about that, dobe? You want to get your ass handed to you in front of a stranger?” 

“Shut up, teme! You know I’m going to win! Talk big all you want, you’ll just embarrass yourself in front of [Name]-chan even more!” 

You shook your head in disbelief and rubbed at your cheeks, which were rather sore from smiling so broadly for so long.

“They’ve always been like this, haven’t they?” You remarked to Sakura. “Sasuke said that they used to be really hostile, though.” 

“Oh, yeah,” she forced a laugh. “I was afraid they’d kill each other for the longest time. Hey, while they do that, why don’t we do some of our own training? I need to work on my teaching skills in case I’m ever assigned a squad, so I can teach you some basic self-defense, if you’d like.” 

Your eyes sparkled in excitement. 

“Would I ever! It’ll come in handy when I’m on the road!” 

She nodded and led you to a space that wasn’t visible to the men. 

“Okay, well, first thing I’ll teach you about are pressure points. They don’t require much strength, and you can easily incapacitate an opponent, if you have proper knowledge of them.” 

You soaked in each word and demonstration, copying what she showed you on her own body. 

“And finally, this one is a guaranteed knockout point when it is hit right.” 

In a flash, she was behind you, and your stomach sank. 

“S-sakura-san?” 

You tried to turn around, but she gripped your shoulder and held you still. 

“Before I forget,” she hissed. “I’ll share some basic self-preservation tips. One, stay the hell away from _my_ Sasuke-kun. Two, get out of here. Three, don’t even think about trying to be anything more to him than some girl he met while on his mission of redemption.” 

Your eyes widened, and your jaw dropped. 

“Redemption?” 

She snickered evilly. “Of course you wouldn’t know. Why would he tell some random girl everything about him? About the people he has killed? He tried to kill his own teammates. He killed his own _brother_. Whatever you believe about him, if you think he _cares_ about you… It’s not true. He doesn’t trust you.” 

It seemed like nothing would ever pierce the tense silence surrounding you, unless you decided to do it yourself. 

“Sakura-san,” you spat out through clenched teeth. “I may not have known Sasuke as long as you, and he may not view me to be as close a friend as you, but I think I might know him better. That, or you’re just a cold-hearted, selfish bitch. I don’t mind that he hasn’t shared those things with me. I would love for him to confide in me that way, but I just want to see the warm gleam in his eye that I’ve seen before. I would never want to know what you have told me, or anything else that he hasn’t yet entrusted me to know, if he hadn’t made it clear that he was okay with me knowing. I would never tell anyone without his permission, if at all.” 

You weren’t a violent woman, but you had your moments. One of them had been when you kicked Takanori in between his legs the last night Sasuke had spent in your home village. This was another one, however, you weren’t foolish enough to believe that you’d ever land a hit on a kunoichi. 

“You’re calling me a bitch?!” 

“Only if you’d rather that than admit you don’t know _your_ Sasuke-kun as well as you would like others to believe.” 

“You-” 

“Sakura,” a deep, cold voice called, and Sasuke stepped into your line of sight. 

“S-sasuke-kun!” 

You could tell that he was angry, and he had every right to be. It was his business what you knew about him, not hers.

“Let her go, now.” 

She immediately released you, and you rolled your shoulder, just then realizing the painfully tight grip she’d had on you. 

“[Name], go back to Naruto and have him take you to the hotel.” 

You opened your mouth to protest, then thought better of it. 

“Just don’t do anything you’ll regret later,” you muttered as you brushed past him. 

You found the exuberant blonde as Sasuke had commanded you. He watched you in curiosity, noting the way your demeanor had flipped upside down. 

“[Name]? What’s wrong?” 

You shook your head and gave him a weak smile. 

“Will you please guide me back to the hotel? Sasuke is talking to Sakura-san.” 

The gears in his head turned, and you saw something click, but figured it wasn’t what actually happened. 

“Sure, let’s go.” 

He tried to cheer you up on the way, but you didn’t say a word, lost in your thoughts. It didn’t bother you that Sasuke hadn’t told you everything about himself. That was his decision, and you were fine with it. However, Sakura had brought something to your attention. You hadn’t let yourself forget that Sasuke had his own plans and that the day would likely come when you had to part from him to keep out of his way. Your mistake was letting yourself believe that the day was far distant. 

Naruto left you at the hotel with comforting nudge. 

“Just hang in there, okay? I hope I see you before you leave, but if not, we’ll have to get ramen again sometime.” 

You nodded. “Thank you, Naruto-san. It was very nice to meet you.” 

You went inside without further delay and retired to your room. 

***

The sun had yet to come into view as you approached the village gates. You cast one last glance over your shoulder at the mountain that had excited you so much the day before, heaved a sigh, then turned back to face the exit. 

What you saw almost knocked you flat on your back, and would have, if he hadn’t caught you. 

“Sasuke!” 

“What are you doing?” 

You made sure you were stable, then stepped away from him. 

“Heading on. I don’t think there’s anything I’ll be able to do to earn even a temporary living here. Besides, I was just here to restock on my supplies.” 

“Hn. I was planning to stay at least a week.” 

His admission surprised you. He would only tell you his plans if he had intended for you to be a part of them. 

“That’s nice,” you replied coolly. “Maybe we’ll bump into each other again.” 

“Enough, [Name]. Did what Sakura said upset you?” 

Your initial expression was shock, then a kind of serene. 

“No, it didn’t. I’m not going to beg you to tell me everything, no matter how I feel about you. You do have your own mission, though, don’t you? I can’t help with that, and I don’t wish to slow you down.” 

His eyes, formerly soft to a degree, turned steely. 

“You wouldn’t, but you’re right. I have my own mission.” 

You gave him the forced smile he hated seeing on you. 

“Exactly, and I left home to find out what kind of life I wish to live. I look forward to the time that we meet again, if fortune smiles upon me.” 

“Hn.” 

Even your fake smile couldn’t hold.

“It has been a great honor and pleasure knowing you, Sasuke. I wish you the best.” 

You quietly sighed, then brushed past him. Before you could pass through the gates, he was in front of you again, much closer than before. His hand was on your chin, and his one visible eye peered into yours. You gazed back into his, noting that the gleam you were so fond of was nowhere to be found. 

“I’ll find you again.” 

You couldn’t help but blush under his intense gaze. 

“Sasuke, you-” 

“Just accept it. By this time next year, we’ll meet again, and I’ll have decided if I want to tell you everything.” 

You didn’t know how to answer, so you settled for a simple nod. His hand fell to his side, and then he was gone, leaving you with your head spinning. 

***

“[Name]-chan, those seeds you requested are in!” 

You smiled at the grocer’s announcement.

“Thank you, Nana-san!” 

You handed over the money for the produce you were purchasing along with enough for the seeds for the autumn plants you were preparing your garden for. 

“Can you notify Yuuko-san about her order as well?” 

“Gladly! I’ll be back for it later! Have a good day!” 

You carried the bag of goods on to your place of residence. You had lived in the Land of Birds longer than anywhere else you had stayed. You had arrived in the main village as the winter turned to spring, and nearly six months later, you were still there. 

You had taken up a room in the house of a sweet old widow, who insisted that you refer to her as Yuu-chan, claiming that it made her feel young. She allowed you to stay for free, and even paid you to keep the house clean, cook, and, your personal favorite, maintain a garden. 

You could take the girl off the farm, but you couldn’t take farming completely out of the girl. 

“Yuu-chan, I’m back!” You hollered to make sure she heard you as you put the groceries away.

“Oh, good! I heard something fall as I passed by your room a short while ago!” 

Worried that something could have broken (not that you had much to break), you rushed to your room. At first, nothing seemed amiss, until you looked to your window planter. One of your tomatoes had fallen off the vine and splattered on the floor. 

It saddened you, as everything you grew was special, but your tomatoes meant the most. Oddly enough, you noted that it wasn’t the biggest one that fell. You went to get a rag to clean it up. 

“Is everything okay, dear?” Yuu-chan questioned with great concern.

“Yes, it is. I just lost one of my tomatoes is all.” 

“Oh no, that’s a shame… I hate to say it, but your lotus flowers don’t seem to be faring well either.” 

“Darn it. I’ve never been as good with flowers as I have with fruits and vegetables. Even on the farm, they were always Kaa-san and Dai-kun’s specialty.” 

She had practically adopted you as her grandchild when you moved in, and begged to know your entire life’s story, and what you told her about growing up on the farm had amazed her. 

“I’m sorry. There’s always next season.” 

You nodded and got to the task at hand. 

That evening, you stepped outside after sundown, when the lamps went on. You had to admit that you missed the fireflies that inhabited your home village, but each one that you had visited had its own charm. Even the one you had only visited for a night.

You strolled from one end of the village to the other at a leisurely pace, greeting all the friends and acquaintances you had made. You would gladly admit that you were happy where you were, but you couldn't deny that you missed your family, and Sasuke. 

“It’s the time he said he’d find me by, and he hasn’t,” you sighed, tilting your head back to view the night sky. “Maybe he decided it wasn’t even worth it to find me to tell me that he doesn’t want to tell me everything.” 

“And what if I did?” 

You spun on your heel, nearly falling, but, as he had done so reliably up until then, he caught you. 

“Sasuke! You..! How?!” 

“I have my ways,” he said with a satisfied smirk. 

You gaped like a fish for a minute, before rubbing your eyes to confirm that he really was there. 

“I can’t believe it. I didn’t think you’d actually find me, especially somewhere so far away from either of our homes.” 

“Hm. Make a lesson of it. I always find what I’m after.” 

Once the shock had worn off, you smiled. It was a smile that hadn’t appeared since you last saw him. 

“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.” 

He nodded. “I’ve decided.” 

You knew what he meant. The promise to have made the decision to let you in completely, or keep you at a distance. You wouldn’t fault him one bit if he chose the latter, you half expected it, but the absence of his company, and parting on a less than pleasant note made you realize just how badly you wanted to know him, to be close to him. 

“And?” 

He fell silent, but his gaze never left you. You weren’t going to push him for the answer, despite the promise. It was all up to him, and you were willing to wait.

“I did kill my brother,” he started. “It was in revenge for my clan.” 

You knew you were in for a long story, so you led him to a place you knew that would grant the two of you privacy. 

When you reached the small area behind a building, where a large bird fountain and wooden bench resided, you took a seat and let him decide what he wished to do. He sat beside you, and continued on. 

He told of the slaughter of his family at the hands of his older brother, sparing you some of the more gruesome details, Itachi’s challenge to gain power and go after him, life as an orphan from a young age, getting assigned to his team, his hunger for power, Orochimaru, his fight with Naruto at the Valley of the End, Team Hebi (later renamed to Taka), his battle with Itachi, Madara, the truth behind Itachi’s sacrifice, his desire to destroy Konoha and the kage, the war, his meeting with a reanimated Itachi, the fight with Naruto that cost him his arm, Kakashi pardoning him, and finally, his personal mission to atone for his sins…

By the end, you cried silently for him. You didn’t hold an ounce of pity for him, but to hear about his suffering, you couldn’t not hurt for him. 

He didn’t look at you, trying to keep his emotions in check. He wasn’t going to cry, but he was determined to be past aching over it. 

“Sasuke, thank you,” you whispered, drying your eyes. “Thank you for sharing this with me. It’s horrible that you have had to bear this alone, and you are even stronger than I ever thought you to be.” 

He knew you’d react similarly to how you did, but he wasn’t expecting you to thank him. It showed in his onyx colored iris that he was grateful to you as well, and it was a relief to be able to confide in someone and not be judged poorly. 

“[Name], I have to leave, but I will come back to see you, and I’ll write when I can. Will you wait for me?” 

If you hadn’t already been feeling such sorrow, you likely would have screamed your answer in joy. 

“Yes! Yes, Sasuke, I will wait.” 

For the first time, you saw what anyone would classify as a smile on his lips. You returned it. 

“One day soon, I’ll take you with me.” 

***

It was the beginning of summer when you left the Land of Birds and accompanied Sasuke. 

You didn’t spend every day together, and at times, he would leave you in a village for a week while he went to gather intel, but he always circled back around for you. 

You frequently teased him whenever he wanted to buy tomatoes, telling him that he better document the quality. 

He just rolled his eyes, and occasionally scoffed. 

Midway through the hot, sunny, and occasionally stormy season, you crossed into the Land of Tea. 

“It’s been two years,” you mentioned. 

“Do you want to see them?” 

“I don’t know,” you confessed. “I miss them all like crazy, but I don’t have much to report. They’ll just tell me I should never have left and to stay there with them.” 

“What if you have a reason not to?” 

“It’ll have to be a good reason.” 

“Only you can decide what’s a good enough reason, not them.” 

You chuckled. “Tell me more, oh wise one.” 

He sent a mild glare your way. 

“Relax, I’m just kidding. You do have a point… I do want to at least see the younger ones. Aki-kun must have gotten to be so big by now.” 

“Then let’s go.” 

You tried not to shake as you knocked on the door, and it meant the world to you that Sasuke was with you in this. 

The door opened to reveal your little sister, who hadn’t appeared too happy at first, but when she recognized you, she screamed with delight. 

“[Name]! Oh my gosh! Everyone, [Name] is here!” 

She tackled you in a hug, and you couldn’t help but sob. 

“Oh, Aina-chan! Look at you!” 

Another body threw itself at you, bigger than your sister, and almost sent you toppling. 

“Daichi!” 

Before anyone else could get in on the group hug, your mother came out. 

“All right, all right! Let her in! What kind of hosts are we?” 

You smiled fondly at her. “Hi, Kaa-san.” 

She gave you a teary one back. “Hi, sweetheart. We’ve missed you.” 

“I’ve missed you all too.” 

You wiped your eyes, then glanced at your companion.

“You all remember Sasuke, right?” 

“Of course we do,” she said, but with a little hesitation. She ushered the pair of you in, and went to make tea. 

Yuuma, who was still living at home, much to your amusement, and Hotaru came to see you. 

“You brat. What were you thinking, taking off on us like that?” Your older brother snapped, but with no bite to it. 

“You would too if everyone was telling you to become Shimida-san’s wife.” 

“Of course I would. I can’t pull off a dress.” 

Nothing had changed at all with your siblings and mother. However, it was your father that you worried about. Just as your mother was serving tea, he came in. 

“So you’re back, and you’re with him, huh?” 

“Yes,” you spoke respectfully. “It’s good to see you Tou-san.” 

“Why have you come back? Have you found the life you want?” 

“I can’t say that I have just yet, but I am living a life that makes me happy, which is more than I was going to get here, married to that jerk.” 

Guilt flashed across his face and he rubbed the back of his neck. 

“About that… You were right. I should have listened to you. When he found out that you were gone, he tried threatening us to get you back here.” 

You gasped. “What? How? What did you do to stop him?” 

“Well,” he chuckled. “Now’s not the time for that story. Just know that when your brothers found out what he was trying to do, they set him straight.” 

You grinned at each of the boys. “Way to go.” 

“So, what have you been doing since you left?” Your mother inquired. 

You told them of your travels, how you’d been earning your keep, meeting up with Sasuke, separating from him, and everything that didn’t have to do with your relationship. 

Sasuke remained silent, as expected, the whole time. 

When you finished, your mother insisted that the two of you stay the night, claiming that they could make room for Sasuke, and you could just sleep in your old bed. 

You were wary, but Sasuke agreed to it. 

Later, you helped set the table for dinner, while Sasuke and your father were out in the field. 

“What’s taking them so long?” You mumbled to yourself as you set the last plate. 

“Relax, dear,” your mother softly commanded. “It’s a man thing, I’m sure.” 

“I don’t know anything that Tou-san and Sasuke would have in common.” 

“I do!” 

“What would that be?” 

She grinned mischievously. “I’ll give you one guess.” 

You smacked a hand to your forehead when it hit you. 

“Kaa-san! Don’t be silly!” 

“Okay, then I won’t. That young man cares for you, [Name]. I could see it when you first brought him home. You’re good for him, and from what you’ve told us, I believe that he’s good for you too.” 

You blushed. Your relationship with Sasuke had yet to be defined, but you felt secure in it. 

“You love him, don’t you?” 

“Every bit as much as you love Tou-san,” you unashamedly declared. “Sasuke is so special to me, and I didn’t say it before, but to answer Tou-san’s question honestly, I have found the life I want to live. Any life that is at Sasuke’s side is the one I want.” 

She smiled warmly. 

“I’m happy for you. Just make sure you take care of yourself too, and please, come around more frequently.” 

“I will, no matter what.” 

When your father and Sasuke returned, it was obvious that a serious conversation had occurred, and there was a sense of mutual respect between them. 

That time around, dinner went much better. 

***

It was just as hard to walk away from your family the second time, but at least you did so with their blessing. 

“You better be back before next summer,” your father demanded. 

“I’ll do my best,” you vowed. 

“You too, Sasuke-san.” 

The young man just nodded in return, confusing you a bit. 

You were a day off, and Sasuke had said that he would have to leave you at the next stop for a few days. Before you reached that village, he gave you something to think about. 

“[Name]?” 

“Yeah?” 

“We should get married in the summer, okay?” 

The size of your eyes were only challenged by the size of your smile.

“Okay.” 

_“...and then all at once.”  
-John Green, The Fault in Our Stars_


	5. bonus chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's my previously promised bonus content. It didn't turn out the way I had initially thought, but I think it's better. All from Sasuke's point of view! 
> 
> Enjoy this final act!

Sasuke hadn’t been sure what to think when he saw Sakura lead you away, out of sight and earshot. He hadn’t been too worried initially, because he didn’t think she would harm you. Still, he was no stranger to what anger and resentment looked like, and he had identified them in the familiar pair of emerald eyes. 

“Hey,” Naruto called out to him. “Are we going to do this?”

He gave him a tiny nod, but bottomless onyx eyes never left the spot where he last saw you. Naruto wasn’t going to sit by politely while his rival was distracted, so he charged. Though distracted, Sasuke had no problem evading his best friend. They exchanged a few minor blows, but it was obvious that Sasuke wasn’t in it. Before any jutsu were used, they stepped away from each other and paused.

“Oi, teme. You’re obviously worried, and honestly, so am I. You should go check on her, just to be safe.” Without further encouragement, Sasuke acted on his own - he was not worried- and the blonde’s worry, by following after you. He located you by the sound of the rosette’s voice. 

“-self-preservation tips. One, stay the hell away from Sasuke-kun. Two, get out of here. Three, don’t even think about trying to be more to him than some girl he met while on his mission of redemption.” 

A low, angry growl came from his chest, and he almost launched himself at Sakura, knowing exactly what she was doing, and because of the grip she had on you. Instead, he masked his chakra and remained hidden as he watched your reaction. 

“Redemption?” 

His stomach lurched, and he felt a tug of fear. He’d been scared many times before, and he absolutely detested the emotion. Especially when it came to losing people he cared for. Would you do what Sakura was hoping for and run away from him? 

“Of course you wouldn’t know,” his former teammate snickered. “Why would he tell some random girl everything about him? About the people he killed? He tried to kill his own teammates. He killed his own . Whatever you think about him, if you think he cares about you… It’s not true. He doesn’t trust you.”

He was seething. Absolutely livid. How dare she tell his story? A younger him would not have cared. Hell, he currently wouldn’t have cared if it was anyone but you. It was you, though. Contrary to what the selfish woman who claimed to love him said, he did trust you. There was just no way to subtly bring up his sordid story, and he didn’t want to be the cause of you losing your smile for even a second. 

He took a step forward, about to reveal himself, then stopped when you spoke up.

“Sakura-san, I may not have known Sasuke as long as you, and he may not view me to be as close a friend as you, but I think I might know him better. That, or you’re just a cold-hearted, selfish bitch. I don’t mind that he hasn’t shared those things with me. I would love for him to confide in me that way, but I just want to see the warm gleam in his eye that I’ve seen before. I would never want to know what you have told me, or anything else he hasn’t entrusted me to know, if he hadn’t made it clear that he was okay with me knowing. I would never tell anyone without his permission, if at all.” 

Hearing you assert yourself had entertained him before, even made him proud, but the warmth in his chest had only happened when you’d smiled at him. This new development had him a little confused, but he would say it was enjoyable. He hadn’t experienced affection for many people for most of his life, but he recognized in that moment that you were definitely one of them. He had no clue when that affection planted itself in his heart, but bloomed when he had seen that firefly land on your nose the prior summer, and just kept on growing ever since. 

“You’re calling me a bitch?!” Sakura shrieked, and he noticed that her fists were clenched. He knew those fists could do irreparable damage to the surrounding land and people, so he prepared himself to defend you. 

“Only if you’d rather that than admit you don’t know Sasuke-kun as well as you would like others to believe.” 

“You-”

“Sakura,” he finally intervened, revealing himself. 

The woman he addressed gaped like a fish, speechless, before gasping out a strangled, “S-sasuke-kun!” 

He hit her with the full force of the trademark Uchiha glare. “Let her go now.” 

Another growl escaped as he watched you roll your shoulder upon being released. “[Name], go back to Naruto and have him take you to the hotel.” 

A second command was on his tongue when he saw you begin to protest, but it died when you shut your mouth. 

“Just don’t do anything you’ll regret later,” he heard you mumble as you bypassed him. 

He gave no response, keeping his eyes fixed on a fidgeting kunoichi. 

“Sakura, what the hell were you doing?”

She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and kept her gaze down. 

“N-nothing. I was jus-”

“Sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. I heard what you told her, and you had no business doing that. Who I pick to travel with is none of your concern.”

Reminiscent of a child, Sakura stomped her foot and met his eyes head on. 

“Why not me? You said your sins have nothing to do with me, but you bring along this random girl that isn’t even a shinobi, and doesn’t know anything about you! I thought I meant something to you!” Tears filled her eyes and she sniffled. “I love you, Sasuke-kun. I’ve always loved you!” 

“And I don’t love you. Get it through your head. All that time we spent together as a team, you were too preoccupied with getting my attention to actually learn anything about me.” He sighed when he was able to calm down from the diatribe. “You did care about me, in your own way, like Naruto and Kakashi did, but I have never seen you that way, and I never will.” 

“But that thing that you did before you left-”

"It didn't mean what you believe it did.” Onyx held emerald, stoic to glistening. “Thank you, for being a teammate and trying to help me, but I don’t want your love beyond that.” 

She stood still as a statue, giving no answer in the negative or affirmative.He left her there in silence, and made his way back to where he left Naruto. The blonde wasn’t there, so he decided to head back to the hotel. 

It had shocked you when you found out that he didn’t have a house. To him, it made perfect sense. Why have a house in a place that he didn’t care to linger? That was only half of the story. The Uchiha district of the village had been razed when Pein attacked, and was put low on the priority list when it came to rebuilding. So low, that by the time the war was over, Kakashi had to admit that he had no plans for it after he became Hokage, unless Sasuke wanted him to restore it.

So without his family home to return to, and the ten ton weight of guilt on his shoulders, he felt so alienated. His roots in the village were withered and dead, and he felt no reason to establish new ones. He only stuck to the village because of Naruto…

“Sasuke-kun!” He stopped just short of the bridge that held so many memories of a young Team Seven, waiting for a chronically late sensei. 

Sakura caught up to him, but he didn’t turn to acknowledge her. 

“You’re right, Sasuke-kun! I don’t know as much about you as I should, but I want to learn everything! Please, give me a chance to give you a reason to love me!” 

He faintly sighed, hoping to put an end to this. “I don’t want to give you a chance, I highly suggest you stop this now, and be happy with the relationship we have, because it’s the best you’re getting from me.”

He didn’t look back at her choked sob. “Do you love her?”

The question spoke to the briefest entertained thought, and he scowled. “That’s none of your business. Now leave me and my relationships alone, or next time, I will fight you.” 

A swish of his cloak signaled the end of the conversation. He briefly considered the idea of cutting Sakura out of his life, but he wouldn’t make that decision just yet. When you left him the next morning, with the promise that he’d find you again, it was almost one of the hastiest decisions he’d ever made.

***

It was two days after the year mark of the day you left him in Konoha that he found you again, with Aoda’s help. 

He sensed you on the other side of town the second he passed through the village gate, and with his neck breaking speed, he was beholding you in an instant. You were leaned against a large tree, gazing up at the lilac sky. You looked so peaceful, he didn’t feel like he should disturb you. At all. Maybe he should just turn around and leave you to a life that he would hate to complicate further than it already was. 

A melancholy sigh from you stopped him in his tracks. “It’s the time he said he’d find me by, and he hasn’t,” you sighed, tilting your head back to view the night sky. “Maybe he decided it wasn’t even worth it to find me to tell me that he doesn’t want to tell me everything.” 

He grimaced, wondering what higher power’s bad direction led to this painful coincidence, then stepped forward. 

“And what if I did?” 

His ability to precisely predict your reaction would almost seem like magic to an onlooker, as he caught and stilled you before you could hit the ground as if it were choreographed. 

You sputtered his name and other words, unable to make complete sentences, but it wasn’t difficult to gather what you were trying to say. 

“I have my ways,” he stated with a proud smirk. He held back an amused snicker as you gawked in disbelief. 

“I can’t believe it. I didn’t think you’d actually find me, especially somewhere so far away from either of our homes.”

“Make a lesson of it. I always find what I’m after.” He could see the second the shock had left you as your lips bloomed into that bright smile that warmed the air around you. 

“Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.” 

His heart gave a small start that almost startled him, but he pressed on. “I’ve decided.” 

You sobered and he knew you were aware of what those two words meant. “And?”

He paused to think how he wanted to begin. There wasn’t exactly social norms to set precedent for telling someone you valued that you killed your own flesh and blood, and then attempted to kill everyone who cared about you following that. Diving in head first was all he could come up with. 

“I did kill my brother. It was in revenge for killing my clan.” 

After letting you process what he said, he readied his next words, but you held up a hand to stop him. “Come with me. I know a better place to talk.” 

He followed you to a dimly lit area that had an air of privacy, where you took a seat on a wooden bench. Succeeding an internal tug of war, he decided to sit with you, leaving a few feet between your bodies. Once it was apparent that you were as comfortable as you were going to get, he continued, starting at the very beginning of it all. 

Your interest never waned in the slightest, despite the length of it. No sound escaped you, be it a gasp, a sigh, or a whimper at any of the horrors he divulged had happened to him, or were committed by him. 

He was tempted to activate his eyes to analyze you, though you posed no physical threat whatsoever. As he finished, he felt an unfamiliar tension in his chest, but it was slight enough to allow him to ignore it… mostly. He watched as you closed your eyes, absorbing everything he had shared with you. The question of what you would do next ran laps around his head. There were so many reactions he had grown accustomed to, and he prepared himself for the disappointment that would set in should you have any of them. He really should have taken into account that you really weren’t like anyone he had known except… 

Upon opening them, tears ran freely from your eyes, and in them, he searched for pity, or overestimated sympathy. He acknowledged the aggressive pounding of his heart for what it was when he found none of those infuriating emotions, and in their stead, acceptance, pain and gratitude, along with a warm understanding. He could read an entire novel in the windows to your heart, yet there were no words to be said. Compelled to look away, he turned his head, his trained reaction to hide his emotions demanding it, until you broke the silence. 

“Sasuke, thank you,” you spoke with reverence. 

Those three words lit a fire in his heart, and he just basked in the amazing and gentle emotions you awoke in him. His onyx pools mirrored your gratitude, and he felt so relieved. The high abruptly ended as he realized that despite the overcoming of this hurdle, and gaining your acceptance, he still had to leave you, at least for now. There was just one thing left to ask. 

“I have to leave again, but I will come see you when I can, and I’ll write. One day soon, I want to take you with me. Will you wait for that?” 

He didn’t know if you felt the same way that he did. He had an idea, but it wasn’t enough for him to know if you would say yes or not. Then he saw that sparkle in your eyes that you got when you saw the fireflies, and it was all that he needed. 

“Yes!”

***

It was nearly a full year later that he returned with the intent to collect you, and you had been ready as anything when he showed up on your doorstep, which wasn’t really yours. 

You had left him with Yuu-chan for a minute to check your room over one last time for anything you may have missed, and the darling woman gave him such a hardened glare, he got her warning not to hurt you in any way loud and clear. He literally bit his tongue to keep himself from reacting in one form or another. Like she could intimidate him. 

It made him realize something, though. You were so opposite to him, as Naruto was, and you had even more of a gift when it came to winning people’s hearts. He’d noticed when you’d traveled together that any village you stopped in, you just attracted others in the best way. He didn’t. His ability was drawing in those who wanted to cause him trouble. 

The thought hit him over the head with a sledgehammer. If he was to keep you at his side, you’d be at risk.When the pair of you embarked on the next part of the journey, his heart weighed heavier than he’d expected it would with you there.

Some time around a month later, your party of two crossed the boundary line into your homeland. 

“It’s been two years,” you stated vaguely, but it was clear to him what you meant. He normally wouldn’t have responded at all, but it struck him as beneficial to bring up the idea.

“Do you want to see them?” 

If your family still welcomed you, it would be a place he could leave you with little to no worries, and you’d be so much happier. But what if you wanted to stay permanently? He didn’t like that idea much at all. 

“I don’t know. I miss them all like crazy, but I don’t have much to report. They’ll just tell me I should never have left and to stay there with them.” 

His heart leapt in his chest in relief. You didn’t have a desire to stay. You wanted to explore and travel, and there was the insistent hope that you wanted to do so with him for as long as possible. He knew you wished to at least stop by and see how things were, and you begrudgingly admitted it, though you were afraid of how they’d react. 

“You have a reason not to stay, don’t you?” 

You sighed and bit your lower lip. “Yes, but I doubt they’ll think it’s a good enough one.”

“So? It’s your reason.” His eyes darkened as he had flashbacks to when he was told that his reasons weren’t good enough, and he was pressured to abandon his life’s goal. It made him feel a little more protective of you. Just a little. 

“You’ve got me there. Any more wisdom to impart, oh great sage?” 

That little bit of protectiveness was thrown to the wind when you laughed at his glare in response to your mocking. 

“I do want to see my sister and brothers for a moment at least. Aki-kun must have grown so much in that time.” 

“Then let’s go.” 

You were tense all the way to the door of the old farmhouse you used to call home, but your worries were all for naught. The second your family saw you, you were brought like a lost sheep back to the flock. Even your prideful father that reminded Sasuke a bit of his own came around. He came around a lot more than Sasuke expected. 

“Can I get a bit of your time?” The salt and pepper haired man requested, after sleeping arrangements for the night were made. 

You had gone to wash off the dust of the road with your mother and sister, leaving him in the sitting room with your father and brothers. 

A curt nod was his response, and he followed the farmer outside to the cornfield. 

The elder man started harvesting the ripe ears as he spoke. “Sasuke-san, I’m not going to ask you to explain your feelings for my daughter, I think I can see them well enough. I am going to ask you to be very clear with your intentions with her.” 

It took a lot for Sasuke to show his surprise, and he didn’t in this instance, but it was close.

“What is it that you want me to say?” 

A soft rumble signaled the clearing of the farmer’s throat. “Nothing to me, if you don’t want to. I can respect that I’m not involved, but you better tell her if you plan to keep her around, or if you will be going your separate ways eventually. I know my girl, and she will want to know the answer to that, but won’t ask. She’d rather enjoy each day as it comes over thinking about what comes next.” 

This wasn’t new to Sasuke. He’d ruminated over it for the prior year, and in all that time, he’d come no closer to an answer. Did he want to part from you? Not really. He got plenty of time away from you when he left you in villages for weeks at a time. He’d just gotten you back after so long, and was reluctant to let you go again. 

“You don’t have to answer, but I’d like to know one thing. You don’t have to want to be around her every second, but do you see yourself ever wanting to be without her?” 

That was the easiest answer, but he was loathe to admit it to anybody. Still, it was your family, and he was only worried about you. 

“No. I don’t.” Wrinkles crinkled in his forehead, and at the corner of his eyes as the head of the family smiled knowingly. 

“Take this with a grain of salt, but that was the same question my father-in-law asked me, when I was courting my wife, I answered just like you did, and it didn’t take me long to decide to propose after that.” Sasuke’s eyes widened slightly, and your father quickly changed gears. “If you continue to travel with her, will you be able to keep her safe from all the dangers? Sounds like you’ve been lucky to avoid them up to this point.” 

It was an insult to Sasuke’s strength, but it was a valid point that he’d mulled over at length. You’d be at great risk, being seen with him, and you didn’t have a chance if you were targeted…It struck him then how odd it was that he still wanted you around. He always surrounded himself with strong shinobi. He couldn’t stand to be around the weak. 

“She’s not a shinobi, and never had the makings of one, but she has a tenacious spirit. If only that carried more weight in terms of protecting herself.”

Ah, that was why. Because he never associated weakness with you. You were resilient in a way that many shinobi would envy. You weren’t the fighting type, but you weren’t afraid to fight for what you cared about. You had the strength of heart comparable to Naruto. 

“Are you sure she won’t become a burden to you?” 

“I am,” he snapped, then bit back his sudden hostility. The smirk on your father’s face told him that the disrespectful slight was forgiven, and expected. “I can protect her from anything, and if she were a potential burden, I wouldn’t have sought her out after she left my village.” 

A deep chuckle came in reply. “While I don’t know if you’re being stupid when you say you can protect her from anything, I can tell that you’re going to try. For that, you have my blessing. Just don’t keep her away from us too long.” 

Sasuke nodded then, and again the next morning when departing, following your father’s remark for of you to come back. 

One day later, after deeply considering the future, and whether or not he could have you in it, he fulfilled your father’s request about telling you his intentions. 

“Let’s get married next summer.”


End file.
